


Curiosity Killed The Cat, But Satisfaction Brought It Back

by ilovebutts



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Agender Reader, College AU, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, genderless reader, idk what im doing, im trash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-05-20 16:03:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6015649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilovebutts/pseuds/ilovebutts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>More and more monsters are popping up in your life. And you're very, very curious about them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fresh Start

**Author's Note:**

> working title??? idk
> 
> please give feedback

You awake, mind feeling kind of blurry. Rolling over, you smack your hand onto the desk to grab your phone and silence the alarm. It’s the first day of classes. You have mixed feelings; excitement and apprehension.

After getting ready and eating a light breakfast, you leave your dorm a half hour before your first class starts. You had already spent the day before locating all of your classes, planning out the paths to take between classes, and noting bathrooms and water fountains. Today should go off without a hitch.

While walking, a few monsters pass just within your radar, but they slip away too quickly for you to properly check out. Not in a romantic or sexual way. It’s a platonic evaluation you've always done with humans too. With all the recent monsters enrolling, your focus has shifted away from humans. You weren't expecting them to be anything--you were just curious about new people.

The amount of monsters you saw in everyday life at your college was rapidly increasing. From what you had heard, monsters could attend higher education at reduced rates or on full ride scholarships, as reparations for imprisoning them in the underground for centuries. You thought it was only fair; they had lost out on the opportunity to learn along with humans. Monsters deserved access to current human knowledge and advances. That’s why they’re here at college: to learn.

But not everyone sees it that way. Some had even resorted to hate speech and discrimination. It was disgusting. You felt for monsters. It was just another example of marginalization in this world. You weren’t surprised, but it still hurt to hear the whispers of derogatory rumors and gossip. You knew all too well what it was like to be perceived different than others and deemed “wrong.” 

You realize you are following a negative thought too far and decide to clear your mind. You’re almost to your sociology classroom anyway. Ten minutes early. You try to gauge if the previous class is still in there. Peeping into the door’s small window, you see a few students seated sporadically. Either they were stragglers or early birds like you.

You make vaguely awkward eye contact with a random monster near the front who had been seated before you walked in. You smile nervously and look away so fast that you don’t even completely register their face. It was a large-ish lecture, so you doubt you would talk to anyone beyond exchanging phone numbers with one of the few other quiet people in case you miss class. You sit a polite distance away from them, wanting to sit in the front, but not wanting to approach anyone directly.

* * *

After packing up your things, you look up to see the professor has amassed a long line of students waiting to speak to them. You sigh dispiritedly. You would have liked to introduce yourself and talk a little. Another day maybe. 

“H-hi,” a small uncertain voice lets out. Your head swivels, trying to figure out if the greeting is aimed at you. A very short, yellow monster resembling a dinosaur or reptile stands at a sociable distance.

“Hello there.” You try to keep your voice pleasant and inviting; this person seems awfully shy.

“I’m uh, A-al-alphys. Nice to m-meet you.” Their smile upturns shakily and reveals many scraggly teeth.

“I’m _____. Nice to meet you too. What are your pronouns if you don’t mind? Mine are they/them/theirs.” The slightly hunched figure watches you both guardedly and inquisitively.

“O-oh-h. Mine are she/her/hers. I think,” she squeaks. You weren’t sure what cultural gender norms monsters had, so you hadn’t taken to assuming gender like you did for humans. Though, if you could have it your way, you would refer to everyone with neutral pronouns until told their pronouns. But living in a mainly cisgender world embittered and prevented you from starting all conversations with humans with a question about pronouns. Monsters usually seemed unfazed by it.

“Cool. So do you like this class?” You attempt small talk. 

“V-very much. ...I was h-hoping to get some form of c-c-c-contact in case one of us misses class. Y-you seemed dedicated, getting here early and sitting in front.” Her voice became stronger as she praised you. “I too wanted to meet the professor p-personally! But…” She glanced wistfully at all the people in line.

“Yeah, I regret not running up there first thing after class ended. Oh well. Always next time.” You smile reassuringly. “Do you have a phone? I can give you my number, or my email address.”

Alphys nods vigorously. “B-both would be fine.” You pull your phone out from your pocket to switch for her number. You make a new contact and offer it to her. She clumsily dials in a number under “Alphys” with her claws, saving it before returning your phone. She begins to hand her phone to you but hesitates.

“U-um, monster phones are kind of weird…” You shrug.

“I’ll just text you and then you’ll have my number.” You do so, sending “: ) hi, it’s me.” She smiles genuinely at you. “All right, well, I’m gonna go get food. I’ll see you next class.” You leave with a little wave.

You feel good about this. It’s nice to make a new acquaintance, regardless of species.


	2. Wowie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a Ha ha Ha ha? heck me up inside
> 
> im so terrible at posting updates?   
> and theyre always short too im sorry

The professor had stopped for the day, quickly reviewing the materials you needed to purchase and familiarize yourself with. It was one of those rare classes where learning actually happens on the first day, rather than just syllabus stuff. With about half a hundred students, the teaching felt pretty personal. You really wanted the lesson to continue; it was so engaging.

While packing up your things, nearly all the students rushed to leave, only a few lingering. A couple of humans chatting and some waiting to talk to the professor. And also a monster that resembled a skeleton, which is a novel thing to you, but you try not to stare.

After asking the professor a few questions, you say thank you and exit, slowing the door so it doesn't slam. You were the last one out since you let everyone else go first. Their questions were valuable information you hadn’t thought to ask. You notice the same monster as before wandering around in the hallway, reading the many bulletin boards. You muster up a voice.

“Hello! You’re in my class right? Astronomy 101?” He nods. “I’m _____. My pronouns are they/them/theirs. What are yours?”

He shrugs, hands stuffed in his pockets. “he/him/his i guess. i’m sans. sans the skeleton.”

“Do you like the class so far?” You try to gauge his interest and dedication. You haven’t yet found an absence buddy, since about everyone seemed to disappear when class ended. This was your last class of the day, so you were in no rush.

“s’cool. i could listen to almost anybody talk about stars. lots of people in there were kinda spaced out though dontcha think?” His brow bones rise up. Many of them were on their phones or talking during the lecture.

You wave your hand nonchalantly. “Ahh, I mean, it's still the first week so people are under a lot of stress and adapting to new stuff. Hopefully they start focusing soon.” His face falls a bit. “Oh, I observed your wordplay. But I won’t comet.” His eyes glint.

“those were pretty big stretches. i don’t know if Einstein’s theory could cover that.”

You roll your eyes, before continuing normally, “I don't blame them entirely. I'm fascinated by space and the professor’s teaching style appeals and works for me, but that's not true for everyone.” You shoot a conniving look at him, “It’s. All. Relative.” You emphasize that last word with a smile.

“hm. never thought of this as being so nuanced. it might be a bit over my head.”

You snicker. “So anyway, what’s your major?”

“uhm…” He rubs his bony fingers over his exposed skull somewhat anxiously. 

“You don't have to tell me or anything! I'm just curious. No pressure.”

“i don't think i have one.”

“Undeclared? Mmhm. That's reasonable. With GE’s you don't even have to start major prep for a year or more so,”

“what are GE’S?”

You stare at him in shock. This monster is enrolled in college right? “General Education courses? The required classes every major has to take?”

“huh. how many are there?”

“Dude, like, a lot???” Your voice is tinged with confusion and concern. “Who’s your advisor? They're not doing a very good job.”

“oh.” His eyes dart away. “well, i went to see them but they didn't really seem like they wanted to talk to me. they said they were too busy to explain basics that i could teach myself. saw someone else go in after for a long time though.” He didn't say it explicitly, but you got the feeling that someone else was a human.

You swallow hard. That… sounds like discrimination. “Sorry if this concept is rude, but if there isn’t, I think there should be a monster-specific advisor? I think monsters need understanding and extra help to balance the playing field.” You definitely don't see extra help as a bad thing. People with different circumstances deserve to be brought up to the same level as the average population. Still, this is sort of presumptuous for someone you just met.

“yeah?” He considers that, fiddling with his hoodie zipper. He lets his hands fall to his sides. “i don’t think that'll happen though.”

“It might take a lot of effort. But I don't think it's impossible. In the meantime, I could explain some things to you?

“ok. that’d be great.” He grins.

“Uh… so… do you have a phone?”

“yup!”

“Do you… want to switch numbers…?”

“sounds good. here.” Sans hands you his phone with a new contact open, and you do the same. He plops your phone back into your hand after entering his information.

Sans’s smile grows into a smirk, “if you wanted my number you coulda just asked.” 

“What?? I-I was just--” You are so flustered right now.

“im joking with ya. always glad to make a new pal, ‘specially one that can level with my jokes.” Sans take this as the opportunity to start walking away, one eye closed. “text me about advising. seeya around,” he finishes with a lazy wave, rounding the corner.

You scream internally as he leaves, face feeling entirely too warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp
> 
> i have like 3+ other chapters in various states of written  
> i cant write any dang thing in proper order


End file.
